Volleyball Opens Friday With Tournament Action
8/26/2015 11:34:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Volleyball season begins for Sam Houston Friday as play starts in the 27th Bearkat Volleyball Invitational at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
Montana State, Prairie View A&M, Tulane and UTSA comprise the field along with a Sam Houston squad that will be defending its tournament title from last year. The Bearkats went 4-0 in the 2014 Invitational, the 13th time for Sam Houston to hoist the event's championship trophy.
Head coach Brenda Gray, who is beginning her 32nd season directing the Bearkat volleyball program, returns eight letter-winners from last year's team that rolled up an 18-12 record and finished third in the Southland Conference race. The team is a youthful group with no seniors, five juniors, three sophomore and seven freshmen.
Gray is anxious to see how the squad responds to their opening weekend of action.
“We had a great spring and we're looking forward to getting started,” Gray said. “I really like this group. We have some new players that are pushing the veterans and competition always makes you better.”
Setter Michelle Griffith, middle blockers Shelby Genung and Breana Homer, outside hitter Jordyn Vaughn and libero Claire Kilpatrick return as starters.
Sam Houston has long been a force in Southland Conference volleyball. The Bearkats have finished among the top three teams in the conference five of the last six years and won the league in 2012.
With the Kats' leading scorer from each of the past three seasons, Deveney Wells-Gibson gone, Sam Houston lost a three-time all-league hitter who accounted for 532 of the team's 1,480 kills last season.
“Dev did a great job for us. She will be missed,” Griffith said. “But now it's exciting how many options we have. During spring ball, we were able to spread the hitting around and beat some really good teams because they didn't know where we were going. We're not as predictable this fall.”
Other veteran players returning for the Bearkats are outside hitters Brooke White and Sarah Sherman, defensive specialist Sarah Cranek and middle blocker Sarah Guzman. Freshmen joining the team include setter Jaclyn Ward, defensive specialist Natalie Nevlud, outside hitters Taylor Cunningham, Amanda Gooch, Meagan Elkins and Madison Wallace and middle blocker Margaret Revell.
The four teams coming to Huntsville for the Invitational will be a good early test for the Bearkats.
UTSA rolled up a 20-9 record last year and returns junior outside hitter Dajana Boskovic from Bosnia who totaled 413 kills and 465 points for the Roadrunners in 2014.
Montana State and Tulane both also returns their top offensive players with Bobcat middle blocker Natalee Godfrey and Green Wave outside hitter Tea Junic both leading their respective offenses. Prairie View is another young squad with nine freshmen on the roster.
Each team will play four matches, seeing action twice on both Friday and Saturday. Sam Houston faces Prairie View at 11:30 a.m. and Tulane at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Kats come back Saturday to face UTSA at 11:30 a.m. and Montana State at 7 p.m.
Tickets to the event are $5 each day. The ticket office at Johnson Coliseum will open at 8 a.m. Fans wishing to purchase tickets earlier this week may do so online at www.gobearkats.com or at the Sam Houston athletic ticket office located on the west side of Bowers Stadium.
The complete tournament schedule:
Friday, August 28
9 a.m. - Tulane vs. Montana State
11:30 a.m. - Sam Houston vs. Prairie View
2 p.m. - UTSA vs. Montana State
4:30 p.m. - UTSA vs. Prairie View
7 p.m. - Sam Houston vs. Tulane
Saturday, August 29
9 a.m. - Prairie View vs. Tulane
11:30 a.m. - Sam Houston vs. UTSA
2 p.m. - Montana State vs. Prairie View
4:30 p.m. - UTSA vs. Tulane
7 p.m. - Sam Houston vs. Montana State
